Machine for assembling cap valves for containers



' Nov. 30, 1937. A. 1.. KRONQUEST I 2,100,596 7 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CAP VALVES FOR CONTAINERS Filed May 8, 1936 5 Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 30, 1937.

A. L. KRONQUEST Filed May 8, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

. ATTORNEY-5 Nov. 30, 1937. A. L..KRONQUEST- 2,100,596

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CAP VALVES FOR CONTAiNERS I Filed May 8, 1956 5 Sheets-Shee t 3- INVENTOR.

p Q Kw an. N% W MM MWE -w ATTOR NEY6 Nov. 30, 1937. Y A. L. KRONQUEST 2,100,596

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CAP VALVES FOR CONTAINERS Filed May 8, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 Tram 1 H! v 1 4 60 1 IH IH I I W 63 F H if- I I 91 .191 'INVENTOR.

W W, BY

ATTORNEYS Nov. 30, 1937. A. KRONQUEST 2,100,596

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING CAP VALVES FOR CONTAINERS Filed May 8, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I N VE NTOR.

ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 30, 1937 UNETED STATES PATENT, QFFIQE MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING GAP VALVES FOR CONTAINERS Application May 8, 1936, Serial No. 78,727

13 Claims.

This invention relates toa machine for manufacturing valved closures for cans and similar containers. Closures of this type generally comprise a metallic cap with a central vent to permit the escape of gases from the container and this vent is normally closed by an elastic disk or valve, which is secured at its periphery to the cap rim. An example of such a closure is disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 1,950,327, issued March 6, 1934 to William F. Punte.

The general object of the present invention is to provide a machine which will automatically assemble the elastic disks in the metal caps, preparatory to applying the same to the container. Preferably, the machine is adapted to be mounted on the bolster plate of a standard punch press.

The invention further consists in various instrumentalities, which will be particularly described in connection with the accompanying drawings and subsequently claimed.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a punch press with the invention mounted thereon.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the bed and feed mechanism with parts broken away.

Figure 3 is a central longitudinal section through the bed and associated parts, taken substantially on the line 3--3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the curling punch and die at the end of the downward stroke.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 with the punch at the end of its upward stroke.

Figure 6 is a sectional View taken on the line 66 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is an elevation of the strip feedin rolls looking in the direction of the arrow 1 in Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the relationship of the gears which drive the. strip feeding rolls.

As illustrated in the drawings, the machine, which constitutes the subject matter of the invention, is mounted on a standard punch press, the bed I 0 of which is inclined at an angle of approximately 45 beneath the main power shaft II and the ram 12 driven thereby. This ram is driven by a crank or eccentric in the usual manner, as disclosed for example in the patent to Charles D. McDonald, No. 970,092, issued Sept. 13, 1910.

A chute I3, which is substantially parallel to the bed Ill, feeds the metal cap blanks 14 by gravity to a position, indicated in Figure 3 at A, on the finger bar 15, which is mounted for reciprocation on the bed In. As the finger bar is advanced by means hereinafter described, a shoulder l6 thereon engages the blank and advances it to the position B, where it is held in position by spring held centering pins 11 while it receives a rubber disk 18. As the finger bar I5 'is retracted, a dog 19 pivotally mounted thereon rides underneath the blank in position Band is thrown up behind the same by a spring 20, which bears against the tail of the dog. Upon the next advance of the finger bar, the dog advances this blank to the position C, where the edge of the metal is to be shaped and the rubber disk secured therein, and the succeeding metal blank is at thesame time advanced to the position B.

The rubber disks l8 are cut by a punch 31, hereinafter described, from a strip 251, which is fed from a reel 22 underneath the bed, about an idler roll 23 mounted in front of the bed, be-' tween driven rolls. 24, across the die plate 25 which is suitably secured to the bed It? beneath the punch 31, and over the metal blank in position B. The waste strip is discharged between the driven roll 26 and the cooperating idler roll 21.

When the blank, with the rubber disk therein, reaches the station C, it rests upon a pad 28, which is resiliently supported by a spring 29 in a die 30 suitably secured to the bed 10 by screws 31 or the like, and is there acted upon by a curling punch 32, which shapes the rim of the metal blank and secures the rubber disk valve therein. In this operation, the descending punch first meets the guide 33, which is supported by springs 34, and both then move downwardly with the blank as it is shaped.

The punch 32 is secured to the holder 35 by screws 36 or the like, and the punch 31, which cuts the disk 18 from the strip at station B, is also secured to the same holder by screws 38 or the like, so that both punches are operated. as a unit by the ram l2.

The punch 32 is provided with a knockout 39 of standard construction which strikes an abutment 390. (Figure 1) and ejects the can closure as the ram completes its upward stroke. This knockout is normally held in retracted position by a spring 40.

The punch 31 is also provided with a knockout 41, which is normally held in retracted position by a spring 42 and operates at the lower end of the stroke. One end of a lever 43, pivotally mounted at 44 in the holder 35, strikes an abutment 45, adjustably mounted in a bracket 46 secured to the bed 10, while the punch is near the end of its downward stroke, just as soon as the rubber is blanked. This causes the other end of the lever and the knockout to move downwardly faster than the punch, forcing the rubber disk is downwardly into the metal cap.

The movement of the finger bar I5 is controlled from a bracket 41, which is secured to the rain I 2. This bracket is connected by a bar 48 of adjustable length to one arm of a bell crank 49, which is pivotally supported by a shaft 56 mounted in brackets 5| secured to the bed ID. The other arm of the bell crank is connected by a link 52 to the finger bar. As the ram moves downwardly, therefore, the finger bar is retracted, and as the ram moves upwardly, the finger bar is advanced.

The rolls for feeding the strip 2| are driven step by step through the medium of a ratchet wheel 53 secured on a shaft 54, and a pawl 55 cooperating therewith. An arm 56 is journaled on the shaft 54 and carries the pawl, which is pressed into engagement with theratchet wheel by a spring 51. A connecting rod 58 is pivotally connected at its upper end to an eccentric 59 on the main shaft 1 l, and at its lower end is pivotally connected at 66 to the end of the arm 56, so that the ratchet wheel 53 and shaft 54 are advanced one step at each revolution of the main shaft.

' As shown in Figure 8, a spur gear 6| secured to the shaft 54 drives gears 62 and 63, secured respectively to the shaft 64 which carries the roll 26 and the shaft 65 which'carries the lower roll 24. 'The gear 63 also meshes with a gear 66 to drive the shaft 61, which carries the upper roll 24. The bearing 68 for the shaft 65 is fixed, while the bearing 59 for the shaft 6'! is pivoted thereto at 19, and the twobearings are connected by a suitable tensioning device H to insure a positive feed for the strip 2!.

In the operation of the invention, as the ram l2 and the punches carried thereby moves upwardly, the finger bar 15 is advanced and the blank, which has been fed by gravity to the position A, is advanced by the finger bar to the posi-' tion BQwhere it is centered by the pins l1. At the same time, the rubber strip 2| is advanced one step beneath the punch 31 by the rolls 24 and 26, which are advanced by the gearing 66, 63, 62 and El, and the ratchet wheel 53, as the pawl 55 and arm 55 are moved upwardly by the connecting rod 58.

As the punch 31 descends to cut the disk !8 from the strip 2!, the latter remains stationary, while the pawl 55 and the finger bar are retracted. After the disk I8 is cut, completion of the downward movement of the punch holder 35 causes one end of the lever 43 to strike the abutment 45, so that the other end actuates the knockout 4| and carries the disk down into the cap blank. As the ram is again retracted, the advance of the finger bar causes the dog l9 to move this blank to' the position C, while the next succeeding blank is movedfrom position A to position B and the strip 2| is again advanced one step.

As the cap blank, with the disk l8 therein, arrives at position 0, the ram begins again to' descend, while the finger bar is again retracted, leaving the blank on the pad 28. The curling punch 32 in cooperation with the die 30 then curls the rim of the cap over the rubber disk 18 and secures the latter in the cap to form a valve. As the ram now moves upwardly again, the knockout 39 is actuated'to eject the completed valved top from the punch as shown at D in Figure 5. It will be noted that the cap blank is pre-formed with a central vent 12, as shown in Figure 2, and that the curling dies groove the rim of the cap, as shown in Figure 5, so as to permit the escape of gases which accumulate beneath the rubber valve where the latter is applied to a perforated dome in the end of a metal container.

The inclination of the press at an angle of approximately 45 facilitates the ejection of the finished valved tops, as well as providing sufflcient'incline for the chute 13, so that the cap blanks may be fed by gravity.

While I have described in detail one embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this is merely for the purpose of illustration and that the invention'also includes such modifications as may fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, iS:---

1. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a reciprocable ram, of means for feeding metal cap blanks beneath the ram, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means operable by the ram to place an elastic valve disk within the rim of each successive blank against the'offset portion, and means for subsequently shaping the blank to secure the disk in that position and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank to permit the' escape of gases from beneath the valve disk when the latter is applied to the perforated end of a metal container.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a bed, of means for feeding metal cap blanks intermittently over the bed, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means for placing an elastic valve disk within the rim of each successive blank against the offset portion, and means for curling the rim of the blank to secure the disk in that position and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank to permit the escape of gases from beneath the valve disk when the latter is applied to the perforated end of a metal container.

'3. In a machine of the class described, means forfeeding metal cap blanks step by step to successive stations, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means to place an elastic ,valve disk within the rim of each successive blank against the offset portion while the blank is at one station, and means for shaping the blank at a succeeding station to secure the disk in its'position therein and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank.

4. In amachine of the class described, the combination with a reciprocable ram, of means for feeding a strip of elastic material step by step beneath the ram, means for positioning a 7 metal cap blank beneath said strip, each blank being previously formedwith an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means operable by the ram to cut a disk from said strip and place it within the rim of the blank against the offset portion, and means forsubsequently shaping the blank to secure the awe-see disk in such position therein and-at the-same time to form one or more radial channels in-the rim of the blank. V

5. In a machine of the class described, means for feeding metal cap blanks step by step' successively to a number of stations, each blank being previously formed with an oifset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means for feeding a strip of elastic material above one of said stations, means for cutting a disk from said strip and placing it within the rim of the cap blank which is beneath said strip and against the offset portion, and means for shaping the blank at a succeeding station to secure the disk in such position therein and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank.

6. In a machine of the class described, means to advance metal cap blanks successively to a plurality of stations, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, a reciprocable holder, means mounted on said holder above one of said stations to place a disk of elastic material within the rim of the cap blank therebeneath and against the offset portion, and means mounted on said holder above a subsequent station to curl the rim of the cap blank therebeneath to secure the disk against the offset portion and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank.

'7. In a machine of the class described, means to advance metal cap blanks successively to a plurality of stations, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means to feed a strip of elastic material over the blank at one of said stations, a reciprocable holder, means mounted on said holder to cut a disk from said strip and to place it against the offset portion within the rim of the cap blank at the station therebeneath, and means mounted on said holder to shape the cap blank at a subsequent station to secure the disk in such position therein and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a bed, of means for feeding metal cap blanks one by one successively to a plurality of stations on the bed, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, a holder with two punches mounted thereon respectively above two of said stations, means for feeding a strip of elastic material between the first punch and the blank therebeneath, the first punch being provided with means for cutting a disk from the strip and depositing it within the rim of the blank against the offset portion, the second punch being provided with means for shaping the rim of the blank to secure the disk in such position therein and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank, and means actuated during the retractive movement of the holder to advance the cap feeding means and the strip feeding means.

9. The combination with a punch press including a main shaft and a ram reciprocable thereby, of reciprocable means actuated by upward movement of the ram to advance metal cap blanks singly step by step beneath the ram, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means operable from the main shaft during upward movement of the ram to advance a s'trip o'f elastic material -between the ram and a cap blank therebeneath, means carried by the ram for cutting'a disk from the strip during each downward movement of the ram and placing it against the offset portion of the blank beneath the ram, and means also carried by the ram and operable at the same time to shape the rim of the preceding cap blank to secure the disk in its position therein and at the same time to form one or more radial channels in the rim of the blank.

10. The combination with a punch press including a main shaft and a ram reciprocable thereby, of reciprocable means actuated by upward movement of the ram to advance metal cap blanks singly step by step beneath the ram, each blank being previously formed With an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means operable from the main shaft during upward movementof the ram to advance a strip of elastic material between the ram and a blank therebeneath, a punch carried by the ram for cutting a disk from the strip during each downward movement of the ram, a knockout actuated near the end of said downward movement to eject the disk from the punch and place it against the offset portion within the rim of the cap blank, a second punch also carried by the ram and operable during the same downward movement to shape the rim of the preceding blank so as to secure the disk in the position in which it has been placed by the first punch, and a knockout actuated during the upward movement of the ram to eject the completed cap from the second punch.

11. Ina machine of the class described, a reciprocable carriage provided with means for engaging and feeding metal cap blanks one by one successively to a plurality of stations, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, a reciprocable ram provided with means for placing an elastic valve disc on the offset portion within the rim of each blank as it rests at one of said stations, and means to crimp the blank at a subsequent station to secure the disk as placed in the blank.

12. In a machine of the class described, a reciprocable carriage provided with means for engaging and feeding metal cap blanks one by one successively to a plurality of stations, eachblank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from'the face of the blank, means for feeding an elastic strip intermittently across one of said stations, a reciprocable ram provided with means for cutting a valve disk from the strip and inserting it within. the rim of the cap blank against said offset por' tion, and means also carried by the ram to crimp the rim of the blank at a subsequent station to secure the disk as thus inserted in the blank. I

13. In a machine of the class described, a main shaft, a ram reciprocable thereby, means including a reciprocable slide to advance metal cap blanks singly step by step to a plurality of successive stations beneath the ram, each blank being previously formed with an offset portion within the rim and spaced from the face of the blank, means actuated by the ram to advance the slide during upward movement of the ram and to retract it during downward movement of the ram, strip feeding and delivery rolls on opposite sides of one of the stations for feeding and guiding a strip of elastic valve material between the ram and a cap at that station, a. common gear from whichthe. rolls are driven, means actuated from the main shaft to drive said gear only while the ram is on its upward travel, means carried by 5 the ram to cut a valve disk from the strip and place it against the offset portion within therim of the cap therebeneath, and means also carried by the ram and operable at the same time to shape the rim of the preceding cap to secure the disk in the position in which it has been placed within the cap.

e ALFRED L. KRONQUEST. 

